Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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103. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the prevalence of domestic violence here, and noting that we are now only one of eleven members not to have signed the convention, when she plans signing the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence, which entered into force on 1 August 2014; when she plans to bring forward a Bill to address the necessary constitutional changes required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45596/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I intend to seek the approval of the Government for Ireland to sign the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence - the Istanbul convention - as early as possible in 2015.

While the provision on emergency barring orders in the convention raised an issue which has a constitutional underpinning, my advice is that a constitutional amendment may not be required in order to address the matter. I intend to bring the General Scheme of a consolidated bill on domestic violence to Government early in 2015 which will strengthen our protections in relation to such violence and along with other legislative amendments underway in my Department will assist in Ireland ratifying the convention.

Other legislation under development in my department which will assist us in becoming fully compliant with the provisions of the convention includes legislation to transpose the EU Victims of Crime Directive.

A further measure under development in my Department which will take cognisance of the requirements of the convention is a new strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence for 2015 onwards.